No contest for Petra
AFTER a bitter battle, Formula One heiress Petra Ecclestone and businessman James Stunt have been granted a multibillionpound divorce.
The exes – who have children Lavinia, James Jr and Andrew – were due to have a two-day divorce hearing starting yesterday at the Central Family Court.
However, it was announced at the five-minute hearing, attended by the pair’s legal teams on their behalf, that they’d settled their rumoured £5.5billion fortune out of court.
“I’m delighted about that and I congratulate both parties,” said the judge. “Clearly both parties have come to agreement which is an extremely desirable outcome… I pronounce decree nisi for divorce.”
James, 35, said in a statement: “I am devastated that my marriage has broken down. I love Petra and our children.”
A separate statement from a representative of the estranged couple added: “It is announced, with regret, that James Stunt and Petra Ecclestone have agreed to divorce and that decree nisi, uncontested, was granted by HHJ Tolson this morning. James is committed to remaining firm friends with Petra.” The seemingly amicable result is a surprising turn of events for the couple who were expected to fight over their £158million mansion in Los Angeles and a Grade II-listed home in London’s Chelsea. At the first court hearing in July, matters seemed intractable as 28-year-old Petra, who is the socialite daughter of former Formula One tycoon Bernie Ecclestone, left the courtroom visibly upset after James slammed his hand on to a table and appeared to make a “gun gesture”. The two married in a lavish £12million ceremony in Rome’s Odescalchi Castle in 2012.